Dear Saints,

Season’s Greetings!

We’re nearly there... Christmas Day is just a week away! We’ve had fair warning that this day would soon arrive, but I hardly feel prepared. Come to think of it, I feel this way nearly every year.

My Advent preparations haven’t had exactly the intensity I would have liked. I held the line on my fasts pretty well, prayed with a little more attention and energy, and struggled to be stretched – time, talent, and treasure – to meet the needs of others (I’m thankful that God gave me so many opportunities!).

In this sometimes muddled and haphazardly observed season, God’s grace has been at work to transform my day-to-day living. I’ve been reminded of the fact that God’s gracious generosity – his unending love – wins out even when I can’t rise to meet the challenge. (That’s actually what Christmas is all about, no?)

The central claim of Christianity is that God became human. The world was half ready (at best) for him, and God the Son still “became flesh and lived among us.” How hopeful we can be that even today, in our almost-prepared hearts, he will take up residence and lead us – as our newborn king – to embody God’s love for everyone we encounter.

Let’s sit with this awe-inspiring reality these next few days so that our hearts can be grounded in God’s love no matter how frantic things around us become.

For your reference, our Christmas Mass schedule is as follows:

Friday, December 24 @ 4:00pm & 6:00pm

Saturday, December 25 @ Midnight (Carols begin at 11:30pm on 11/24), 9:00am, and 11:00am.

May the blessings of Christ be with you and yours,

In the Peace of Christ,

Father Daniel

δοῦλος Χριστοῦ Ἰησοῦ